The Tiger Hunter San Francisco Premiere – CAAMFEST

THE TIGER HUNTER- Bay Area HQ hit the red carpet at the Castro Theatre for the San Francisco premiere of The Tiger Hunter. Watch (video above) interviews with the director Lena Khan and cast members Danny Pudi, Jon Heder, and Rizwan Manji. The film was the Opening Night movie for CAAMFEST, which is happening until March 19th in San Francisco. The film was funny and heartwarming, and the cast afterwards had a great Q&A session afterwards. Jon Heder and other cast members attended the Opening Night Gala at the Asian Art Museum where guests drank, danced and indulged in art, music and food. Bay Area favorites had some great offerings including Boba Guys, Sol Food, Hodo Soy, Reem’s, Magnolia Ice Cream, The Chai Cart, Lee’s Deli, Socola Chocolatier and Rémy Martin. Attendees soaked in the visual riches of the museum’s newest exhibits, Tomb Treasures: New Discoveries from China’s Han Dynasty.

THE TIGER HUNTER is the story of Sami Malik, a young Indian who travels to 1970s America to become an engineer in order to impress his childhood crush and live up to the legacy of his father—a legendary tiger hunter back home. When Sami’s job falls through, he takes a low-end job and joins with a gang of oddball friends in hopes of convincing his childhood sweetheart that he’s far more successful than he truly is…or perhaps ever could be. Starrng DANNY PUDI, JON HEDER, RIZWAN MANJI, KAREN DAVID, KEVIN POLLAK, IQBAL THEBA, SAM PAGE.

The Center for Asian American Media (CAAM) is pleased to announce that CAAMFest 2017 will take place March 9-19 in the San Francisco Bay Area. CAAMFest is an 11-day feast for the senses, with film, music, food and digital media from the world’s most innovative Asian and Asian American artists.

YESTERDAY, TODAY, TOMORROW
Celebrating its 35th year, CAAM turns the lens on itself, peering back to the festivals and themes of yesterday, exploring the organization and CAAMFest in its current form today, and looking ahead to future iterations and directions for the Festival. CAAMFest 2017’s expansive and diverse slate of programming will be on display in a variety of stunning and culturally-rich venues in San Francisco and the East Bay, including the Castro Theatre, Asian Art Museum, New People Cinema, Alamo Drafthouse, The New Parkway Theater, Jewish Community Center, Roxie Theater, Gray Area Foundation for the Arts and Oakland Museum of California.

“CAAMFest 2017 is a true milestone for our organization and community,” says CAAM’s Executive Director Stephen Gong. “The need for a festival —that celebrates creativity and diversity, that builds understanding and empathy, that educates and inspires— has never been more important and more necessary, and our dedication to the advancement of Asian American visibility and perspectives has never been stronger.”

This year’s Festival boldly explores visibility and perspectives through a diverse and interactive media, from the charming resolve in Opening Night’s THE TIGER HUNTER to the ever-relevant struggles explored in Closing Night’s THE CHINESE EXCLUSION ACT, and shines light on the cultural identity, community intersectionality and political landscapes that Asians and Asian Americans constantly navigate.

The endearing and light-hearted story follows Sami (Danny Pudi), a young Indian engineer who moves to America during the 1970s wave of South Asian immigration to gain wealth, live up to the notoriety of his legendary tiger-hunting father, and above all, win the favor of his childhood sweetheart Ruby. As reality hits and Sami quickly learns his dreams will be harder to achieve than he thought, Sami is forced to look inward and decide what kind of person he wants to be. Khan’s film is a testament to the immigrant experience, and the meaningful, invaluable contributions they make to American history and society.

Opening Night Gala: Following THE TIGER HUNTER premiere, join CAAM at the beautiful Asian Art Museum for the star-studded Opening Night Gala. Indulge in a cornucopia of delicious food and drink from the likes of Rémy Martin, Reems, Sol Food and Boba Guys. Enjoy music, art and conversation about the many programs in the Festival while taking photos in the Xfinity Lounge and exploring the Museum’s newest fascinating exhibit, Tomb Treasures: New Discoveries from China’s Han Dynasty

History mirrors today’s politics in THE CHINESE EXCLUSION ACT, an enlightening documentary co-produced by CAAM for PBS that explores the causes, consequences and impact of the only federal legislation in U.S. history to single out and name a specific race and nationality for exclusion from immigration and citizenship. THE CHINESE EXCLUSION ACT sheds light on the history of immigration and the evolving meaning of American identity, something which has become even more relevant in recent weeks. This film has been made possible in part by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

Explore the question behind the Jeopardy! game show answer, and title of the film, WHO IS ARTHUR CHU? Follow 11-time Jeopardy! champion, media-labelled “villain,” writer and internet iconoclast, Arthur Chu, as he traverses a post-Jeopardy! world where fame brings both a platform and cyber-bullying. As Chu builds a larger following through writing, public speaking and participation in the infamous #Gamergate movement, he reflects on his youth, his family relationships and his identity as a Taiwanese American.

An exquisitely animated film about the physical and inner journey of Rosie Ming, a young Chinese-Iranian girl (voiced by Sandra Oh) whose poetry carries her on a trip from her Canadian home to a festival in Iran. When she leaves her loving and worrisome grandparents behind and meets an eclectic and seasoned group of confident poets, Rosie finds her true voice as an artist, and unveils a deep family secret. Ellen Page and Shohreh Aghdashloo provide additional voices.

SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS35TH ANNIVERSARY: CAAM celebrates 35 years of advancing Asian American media and evolving our platform for Asian and Asian American voices. During the Festival, revisit three films from CAAMFests of yesterday, and view an even broader collection streaming online.

THE FALL OF THE I-HOTEL, by Curtis Choy, examines the impacts of urban renewal with the story of 50 old-timers who were displaced by 300 cops in the dead of night, marking the destruction of the last block of San Francisco’s Manilatown.

RABBIT IN THE MOON, an award-winning documentary on Japanese American internment, explores Omori’s own childhood experiences within the camps and the complex, political tensions between the generations held there.

WHEN RABBIT LEFT THE MOON, a poetic follow-up to RABBIT IN THE MOON, is a short film that pays tribute to the generation of Omori’s parents.

SPOTLIGHT – HAM TRAN: A leader in Vietnam’s new film industry, Vietnamese American filmmaker Ham Tran has honed his craft of storytelling through a diverse collection of films and genres. See his two most recent features at CAAMFest.

BITCOIN HEIST is an action-adventure set in the world of complex digital connectivity where a cop teams up with criminals to pull of the ultimate heist and capture a “ghost” hacker who stole billions of dollars in bitcoins.

SHE’S THE BOSS follows two co-workers whose secret relationship could compromise their employment. With a supporting cast of goofy and endearing characters, the couple tries to sabotage one another into quitting their job so both can get married.

JAPANESE AMERICAN COMMUNITY & THE LEGACY OF INTERNMENT: CAAM marks the 75th anniversary of the forced relocation and incarceration of Japanese Americans during WWII with a series of bold new documentaries that explore this painful moment in America’s history and urges others to defend those under threat of similar injustice.

GOOD LUCK SOUP, by Matthew Hashiguchi, sorts through home video and family interviews to examine identity and a story of growing up mixed race in America’s heartland, Cleveland Ohio.

RESISTANCE OF TULE LAKE, by Konrad Aderer, focuses on the notorious camp where Japanese Americans labeled “disloyal” were held. Emotional stories make clear the consequences of race, wartime hysteria and political expediency.

PACIFIC ISLANDERS IN COMMUNICATIONS PRESENTS: PACIFIC SHOWCASE: From New Zealand to Hawaii, celebrate the resilience, wisdom and creativity of the Pacific Islander community.

EVER THE LAND, by Sarah Grohnert, embarks on a landmark cultural construction project in the lush forests of New Zealand and its vital ties to an indigenous Maori tribe.

POI E: THE STORY OF OUR SONG, by Tearepa Kahi, revisits the simple song that took New Zealand by storm, and the pride it continues to inspire more than 30 years later.

CHINATOWN SCREENINGS: CAAM continues Festival programming in San Francisco’s Chinatown, the oldest and largest Chinatown in North America. Soak in the rich history and community with a series of films overflowing with culture and perspective.

BROWN GIRLS: This new web series, directed by Sam Bailey and loosely based on creator Famimah Asghar’s own life, paints an intimate portrait of two young women of color navigating their relationships, families, sexual orientations and the messiness of being in your mid-20s.

DIRECTIONS IN SOUND – MUSIC AND FILM: 12 years strong, crowd favorite Directions in Sound has been the premier Asian and Asian American music gathering of emerging and cutting‐edge artists. Carrying sounds to screen, CAAMFest rounds out the program with three musically-minded films.

IN SEARCH OF PERFECT CONSONANCE, by Ruby Yang, takes a journey across Asia with hopeful young musicians, illustrating their passion and dedication. Features a live performance at Jewish Community Center of San Francisco.

THE TENOR, by Kim Sang-Man, chronicles the inspirational journey of a South Korean opera singer who struggles to get back to the stage after losing his voice to cancer.

CAAMFEST IN OAKLAND: Now into its fourth year in Oakland, CAAMFest’s East Bay programming continues the fantastic success of last year’s kickoff at the Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) with this year’s BLASIAN NARRATIVES. Following OMCA, indulge in a phenomenal lineup of films at the New Parkway Theater and experience an all-new family friendly event at the Oakland Asian Cultural Center (OACC).

CAAMFEST @ OMCA: BLASIAN NARRATIVES is the kickoff event for CAAMFest’s second weekend. Head to the OMCA for half-price admission, delicious snacks from Off The Grid food trucks, art workshops for the whole family, music and spoken word. Capping off the evening will be the premiere of creator Jivan Atman’s BLASIAN NARRATIVES, a multimedia presentation that unravels the complexity of Black and Asian relations.

TICKETING INFORMATION:
Ticket prices for regular screenings range from $12-$14, excluding special events and galas. Tickets can be purchased by CAAM Members online beginning February 9 and open to the general public on February 13. All attendees can purchase tickets at the CAAMFest box office at the Alamo Drafthouse beginning March 3. Learn about member pricing, discounts and more on the Box Office & Ticketing Information webpage.

About CAAMFest:
CAAMFest, formerly the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival (SFIAAFF), celebrates its 35th year, March 9-19, 2017 in the Bay Area. CAAMFest showcases film, music, food and digital media from the world’s most innovative Asian and Asian American artists.

About CAAM:
CAAM (Center for Asian American Media) is a non-profit organization dedicated to presenting stories that convey the richness and diversity of Asian American experiences to the broadest audience possible. CAAM does this by funding, producing, distributing and exhibiting works in film, television and digital media. For more information on CAAM, please visit www.caamedia.org.